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Diane Willis

b. 1948

American journalist, documentalist, teacher and newscaster

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About Diane Willis

Born 1948. Diane Willis is an American journalist, documentalist, educator and news presenter.

Diane Willis ( Bruhn) (born July 4, 1948) is an American journalist, documentarian, teacher, and newscaster.

Career as a broadcaster Willis graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Augustana College and later earned multiple master's degrees from both the University of Chicago and the University of Missouri. She spent six years teaching English and journalism before transitioning to a career in broadcast journalism.

Her first on-air position was at KTVI in St. Louis, Missouri during 1981–82, where she worked as a reporter and anchor. In 1983, she joined Boston's WNEV-TV as a reporter and was soon promoted to main female anchor, co-anchoring the 6:00 p.m. newscast with veteran journalist Tom Ellis. Although the newscast ranked third in local ratings, it received positive critical reviews during her tenure. She stepped down in 1986.

Following her departure from WNEV, Willis taught journalism at Northeastern University for several semesters, alongside her then-husband, Jim Willis. In January 1987, she joined WRTV in Indianapolis as co-anchor of the 6:00 and 11:00 p.m. newscasts with Clyde Lee. The pair became prominent figures in Indianapolis news broadcasting and remained with the station until 2001, when they both resigned and left television news.

After leaving WRTV, Willis and Lee co-founded Lee-Willis Communications, a consulting firm specializing in public relations, crisis communications, and media training for corporate executives.

Personal life Willis married Jim Willis in the early 1980s. In 1983, the couple adopted two sons, David and John. They later divorced. Willis later married Clyde Lee in 2000.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Augustana College, University of Chicago, University of Missouri, Augustana College (Illinois)
Employers
WHDH

People in Diane Willis's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Diane Willis's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Diane Willis?

American journalist, documentalist, teacher and newscaster

When was Diane Willis born?

Diane Willis was born on 4 July 1948.

What is Diane Willis's occupation?

Diane Willis is a journalist, documentalist, educator and news presenter.

What nationality is Diane Willis?

Diane Willis is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Diane Willis

· Wikidata: Q24661085

· DBpedia: Diane Willis

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Diane Willis. https://biography.guide/diane-willis/

MLA: "Diane Willis." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/diane-willis/.

Chicago: "Diane Willis." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/diane-willis/.

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